Spatial and temporal patterns of the lagoons at the Guadalhorce River mouth (Málaga)

Abstract

Montes-Pérez, J.J., Conejo-Orosa, T., Rodríguez, J., Rodríguez, V., Marañón, E., Moreno-Ostos, E. 2020. Spatial and temporal patterns of physical environment and phytoplankton at Paraje Natural of the Guadalhorce River mouth (Málaga). Ecosistemas 29(3):2029. https://doi.org/10.7818/ECOS.2029

The Guadalhorce River mouth (Málaga, Spain) constitutes a 67 ha coastal wetland formed by eight permanent ponds with diverse limnological and morphological features. As a consequence of its significance biodiversity, the Andalusian Government declared it as Paraje Natural in 1989, a very restrictive protection figure for sites with exceptional natural values. Habitat diversity resulting from limnological heterogeneity of the pond system could be of interest for Paraje Natural management. In this paper, we study limnological heterogeneity of the pond system in order to draw spatial and temporal patterns of the wetland and identify the main driving factors. We used Principal Components Analysis (PCA) to analyze limnological, physico-chemical and biological (size abundance spectra of phytoplankton), data collected throughout two sampling years at six ponds. Our results suggest that there exists a marked spatial pattern in the wetland, mainly organized around the axis of eutrophication and marine influence. In addition, the ponds show a pronounced seasonal variability, mainly defined by temperature and conductivity. Limnodiversity in the Guadalhorce river mouth wetland is a key natural value, and it should be considered in the design of conservation strategies in the framework of global change.